Horseback Riding on Mount Pumol

We went on a horseback ride around Futrono and its surrounding areas: an entertaining and ideal tour to enjoy with the family. The panoramic view was breathtaking.

Riding on horseback is a kind of therapy but if you add a wild landscape in the middle of the mountain range, incredible panoramic views, listening to the history of the place and an intense gallop to get a good dose of adrenalin, the experience becomes unique and unforgettable and without a doubt it will remain for ever in your memory. This is the proposal that Juan Tapia has prepared to surprise tourists reaching his property in Futrono and who wish to go riding in the Andes on authentic Chilean horses. The rides can be programmed so that they can last one, two or three hours, according to preference.

The first thing you get from Juan is calmness. He speaks slowly, looks at you in the eye and when he shakes hands he does it firmly. The show soon begins. The cowboy guide shows you that the horses are tame and ideal for familiar use. To demonstrate this, he stands on the back of the animal, makes the animal show its teeth and then walks behind the horse to prove that they are tame and that they will not kick. All the riding equipment used is top of the line. The leather, reins and stirrups are comfortable enough to start the ride soon. Without further ado and with a playful trot, we began our first sightings of Mount Pumol, which is surrounded by the Quimán and Coique Rivers.

As we headed forward, we met some rural workers carrying wood pulled by oxen and milk cows with their calves, while nature was taking us in. An intrepid climb made us slow down. At a leisurely but steady pace we reached the highest point in our expedition. Juan told us about the history of the first settlers of the place and then everything was calmness and contemplation. We reached a humid area but without hesitation we went on. It was funny listening to the clapping of the horses when passing through the mallín (a swamp area). Soon, some ferns dominated the landscape. We seemed to be in the middle of the Valdivian Forest.

After passing through the evergreen jungle, an incredible panoramic view opened up before us. The turquoise waters of Lake Ranco seemed to spread widely in front of us. The mountain range with its snow-capped summit was the ideal frame to keep that image. We remained silent for a while to listen to the sound of the wind and to the singing of the birds while the mild falling sun embraced us in those God forsaken latitudes. Finally, after enjoying nature’s masterpiece, we started our way back towards Juan’s property with a dose of adrenalin, since our guide allowed us to ride along a plain and to feel the strength of the animals.

When we reached the house, we were welcomed with mate cocido and tortas saladas (pan fried bread) that were just being made. The end of the ride was the perfect excuse to get together with the group and while we were having a snack we reenacted the intense moments experienced a short while before. When visiting Futrono, we suggest going on a ride with the guide Juan Tapia.